Unexpected Love
by Team Dragon Star
Summary: Gaz has lost the one that she couldn't live without. Now she is determined to get her revenge. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: We do not own Invader Zim. Em is merely an obsessive fan. :D**

Brought to you by Emortal Love.

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The gray sky gave the scene a desolate background. It matched their murky moods completely. They were perched on a wooden fence, their legs dangling towards the dim concrete that lay below. The eccentric pair sat intimately side by side. Searching inside themselves to find the right things to say, the couple sat in silence. Both of them were remaining indecisive. The wind blew whispering its words of wisdom for the world to hear. The awkwardness set in, letting them both know that they needed to say something. They gazed yearningly into each other's eyes, and somehow they said all the right things without uttering a word. Time seemed to slow as they stared at each other, mesmerized by this complex way of communicating. It was as if they shared a special bond that no one else could ever dream of. Neither of them had ever experienced such a strong connection with someone before. It was shocking; it was startling. Somehow it felt just right. As if all along this was how it was supposed to be. This miraculous moment seemed too perfect.

Gaz seemed to be the first to realize that it was dark, and soon Zim reluctantly realized it as well. They let the inner conversation run too long. It was time to get back to their miserable lives. They left their perch on the fence, coming to a tight embrace under the streetlamp. Together in each other's arms everything felt like it would all be okay. They knew they were supposed to be enemies, but they were filled with so much hate that they needed someone they could love. Zim's warmth comforted Gaz, though all she could think about was getting home.

"I've got to get home," Gaz said wretchedly, being the first to break free from the hug. Zim nodded, and watched Gaz turn to leave. Zim reached out to stroke her lightly on the shoulder.

"I love you," Zim said. Gaz froze in her tracks. Why was he saying this now? Was she ready for this? It was so sudden, this was just too fast. She had the strange notion to run.

"I've got to go," she replied frantically, almost in a whisper. She sped up the street, turning the corner quickly. Zim watched her go, unable to move. The alien had just showed the human affection, and she hadn't replied back. Did I move too fast? Zim wondered. Guilt washed over him for making Gaz uncomfortable. The green alien was heartbroken. It was as if he had handed her his black heart, and she threw it back at him in disgust. Maybe she just wasn't ready. In that case he had just scared her off. Zim threw himself onto the dark concrete, propping his back up against the wooden fence. It was pitch black by now, and the alien was glad of it. He didn't want to see all the sleeping humans living normal lives. He wanted to sit there and glare into the darkness, angry with the air. I may have just lost someone I can't live without, Zim thought. How could I have been so stupid?

Gaz collapsed onto her bed, listening to Dib's continuous ranting. Flashbacks of the conversation played in her head. It felt so long ago, though it was only minutes before. Why hadn't she said she loved him back? Was she in love with him? Was he really in love with her? It was all so confusing; Gaz couldn't get it straight in her head. The girl plunged her head underneath her pillow in an attempt to block it all out. Not just the blaring TV or Dib's self- conversations, but her entire life. Zim was once her mortal enemy, or at least her brother's. She hadn't liked either of them, but now…. The girl didn't really know what to think anymore. Zim seemed so engaging, and at first she thought she really did love him. The 'I love you' seemed so sudden; they didn't really know each other. How could she love someone she didn't even know? The TV seemed to get louder and louder. It was as if Dib was turning it up just to agitate her. It was working.

"_**Dib, turn the TV down or I will kill you in your sleep!**_" Gaz screamed into the pillow, piercing enough for the neighbors to jump in surprise. The TV was suddenly turned off, and the lights went out abruptly.

"Thank you…" Gaz whispered for only her to hear. She was exhausted from this emotional day, and she was glad when the house became completely silent. Memories of vacations with her Dad flashed through her head. Like when they had gone camping and Dib thought he saw Bigfoot. Their Dad had just laughed and told him he needed to be studying real science. He had patted little Dib on the top of his large head, and smiled down at Gaz, happy to be with his family. That was right after their Mom had died, and it had been weeks since he had smiled. A tear rolled down Gaz's cheek, remembering when their Dad actually cared about them. That night Gaz dreamed of hugging her mother, Dib, and Dad smiling and laughing in their living room. They were happy, and nothing could ever break their spirits. They had never met Zim or Gir. They didn't even believe that aliens existed. That was the life Gaz used to have. That was the reality that she would miss the most.

The light made Gaz blink and shrink away, waking her up from the fantastic dream that had made her smile throughout the night. The light shined on her face, waking her up to find the horrible reality that lay in front of her. Rising to her feet, she padded over to the window. The curtains were pushed completely open; something she knew wasn't her doing. Someone had been in her room.

"DIB!" Gaz screeched, rushing into the kitchen angrily. She expected to see him sitting at the kitchen table warily, but found the chair to be empty. She called his name numerous times, but there was no reply. He was nowhere to be found in his room, and after running through the house, she found he was not there at all. Maybe she was late for school….

"Has anyone seen Dib?" Gaz asked some of her classmates. They just shrugged and went on with their conversation, which frustrated Gaz. She had not seen him all day, and no one seemed to be concerned. The disappearance of her brother had no effect on the teachers either, and she frantically searched the school for her psychotic sibling. He was nowhere to be found. Zim wasn't at school either, though that was normal. Considering the events that night, she didn't blame him. His truancy had become more abundant, and this awkwardness between them may have just made his absence permanent. I wonder if I'll ever see him again, she thought. The disappearance of her brother was much more important than Zim, Gaz decided. At the end of the school day, Dib was nowhere to be found.

Gaz trudged along the sidewalk, worried about what happened to Dib. She prayed he stayed home from school, hoping that he had only gone out for a run that morning. The agonizing fear grew more and more. Making her way home, she wondered if she'd discover him at there, or if she would have to search through the city for him. She began to get angry, knowing that this must be some sort of trick from her idiot sibling. He would be at home, laughing and enjoying her worry as if it were all a joke. Gaz sped up, determined to get home so she could smack him in the face. He had played tricks on her like this many times before, and she was certain this was just another one of his antics. She was practically darting down the street towards home, her hands balled into fists.

When she arrived at the large house, she found something odd. The front door was pushed wide open, as if someone was in a hurry to get in and out, and hadn't bothered to shut it. When she stepped through the doorway, Dib was sitting in the middle of the living room floor. His hands and feet were bound, his mouth taped shut. Was this some kind of sick joke? He looked hurt, with a black eye and a bloody nose. His lab coat was torn, and his hair had traces of blood in it. She was shocked at the scene, and shocked at her injured brother. Gaz stood there in pure terror not knowing what to do. He whined in a pitiful attempt to demand to be let free. The destroyed room around him made it difficult for Gaz to get to him, but she slowly managed. She untied the rope that held his hands and feet, and ripped the tape off of his mouth quickly. He screamed in pain, and cursed under his breath at Gaz. Gaz hugged her brother in an uncharacteristically affectionate way, happy that he was alive and okay. She began to hound him with questions.

"What happened? Who did this to you? What are we going to do? When did this happen? Why didn't you go to school today? What did they say? Did you see their faces? Dib, what happened!?"

"Zim…" Dib said. Gaz was mortified.

"Zim did this to you? Zim did all of this?" Gaz shouted with a vulnerable and hurt expression on her face that Dib was not used to. Dib shook his head, and corrected himself quickly.

"Zim… Zim is dead," Dib said at last, though this was not what Gaz wanted to hear. Her heart pounded in her chest, wondering if this had anything to do with what happened between them last night. Did he kill himself? A horrible pang of guilt shot through her. Why didn't I tell him I loved him? A lump formed in her throat, and Gaz attempted to swallow it down, but it remained. She should have said it, because Gaz soon realized that… she did love him. She loved him to death, and she couldn't imagine life without him. How could she have been so stupid?

"I'm sorry Gaz."

She stood, helping Dib to his feet. She realized he was wounded more than she thought. Zim's death hurt, but not as much as seeing Dib beaten and tied up in his very own home. She edged him towards the couch, helping him into sitting position on the cushion. Once they were both settled, she decided to ask him again.

"Who did this to you?" Gaz asked, distressed. He closed his eyes, trying to remember faces. Their tiny forms would have been cute if not for the weapons they had aimed at him. They never once used them, which made him think they never intended to kill him. They just wanted him out of the way momentarily. Their efficiency was impressive, and he slowly realized who those people were. Why had he not realized before? Their skin color and body structure should have made their identities obvious. He was just so surprised that morning that he didn't even notice. Finally he spit out the horrible truth.

"I was attacked by the Armada."

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**Hope you enjoyed it.**


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